The celebrated American luxury fashion house Rodarte, founded by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, is featured this fall in the first fashion exhibition organized by NMWA. Rodarte showcases the designers’ visionary concepts, impeccable craftsmanship, and profound impact on the fashion industry.

The exhibition explores the distinctive design principles, material concerns, and recurring themes that position the Mulleavys’ work within the landscape of contemporary art and fashion. Spanning the first 13 years of Rodarte, more than 90 complete looks, presented as they were shown on the runway, highlight selections from their most pivotal collections. Through a conceptual blend of high fashion and modern femininity that employs a multiplicity of textiles and meticulous couture techniques, Rodarte has drawn critical acclaim from both the art and fashion worlds since its inception in 2005.

Limited-edition products, including a paper doll set, were designed for the museum shop by artist Jess Rotter and Third Drawer Down. The items are available in the shop and online. Sign up for our e-news for a chance to win!

This online exhibition, created as a complement to Rodarte, uses artworks from the museum’s collection to explore how dress and costume can be vehicles for social commentary and personal expression.

Rodarte is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts. The exhibition is made possible by Christine Suppes, with additional funding provided by Denise Littlefield Sobel and Northern Trust. Further support is provided by the Sue J. Henry and Carter G. Phillips Exhibition Fund, Tresemmé, Swarovski, and NMWA’s Couture Circle. In-kind support is provided by KnollTextiles and Levy NYC Design & Production.